Difference between revisions of "Ephraim"

<p> The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt, [[Genesis]] 41:52 . Although the youngest, he yet had the chief blessing of his grandfather Jacob, and the tribe was always more distinguished than that of Manasseh, Genesis 48:8-20 Numbers 2:18-21 . The portion of [[Ephraim]] was large and central, and embraced some of the most fertile land in all Canaan. It extended from the [[Mediterranean]] across to the Jordan, north of the portions of [[Dan]] and [[Benjamin]] and included Shiloh, Shechem, etc. A range of mountainous country, which runs through it, is called "the mountains of Ephraim," or "mount Ephraim." This extends also farther south into the portion of Judah, and is there called "the mountains of Judah." Samaria, the capital of the ten tribes, being in Ephraim, this latter name is often used for the kingdom of Israel, Isaiah 11:13 Jeremiah 31:6 50:19 . </p> <p> The FOREST of Ephraim, where [[Absalom]] lost his life, was on the east side of the Jordan, near Mahanaim, 2 Samuel 18:6-8 . </p> <p> The TOWN called Ephraim, to which the [[Savior]] withdrew from his enemies, John 11:54 , was probably the same place mentioned in 2 Chronicles 13:19 , and called [[Ophrah]] in Joshua 18:23 1 Samuel 13:17 . See also 2 Samuel 13:23 . It is supposed to be the present Taiyibeh, on a hill overlooking the [[Jordan]] valley, five miles northeast of Bethel. </p>

<p> <strong> EPHRAIM </strong> . A grandson of Jacob, and the brother of Manasseh, the first-born of [[Joseph]] by Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On ( [[Genesis]] 41:50 f. [E [Note: Elohist.] ], cf. Genesis 41:45 [J [Note: Jahwist.] ]). The ‘popular etymology’ of E [Note: Elohist.] connects the name with the verb <em> pârâh </em> , ‘to be fruitful,’ and makes it refer to Joseph’s sons. In the Blessing of [[Jacob]] ( Genesis 49:22 ) there may be a play upon the name when Joseph, who there represents both [[Ephraim]] and Manasseh, is called ‘a fruitful bough.’ The word is probably descriptive, meaning ‘fertile region’ whether its root be <em> pârâh </em> , or <em> ’çpher </em> , ‘earth’(?). </p> <p> Genesis 48:14 ff. (J [Note: Jahwist.] ) tells an interesting story of how Jacob adopted his [[Egyptian]] grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, into his own family, and at the same time, against the remonstrances of Joseph, conferred the blessing of the firstborn upon Ephraim hence Ephraim’s predestined superiority in later history. </p> <p> P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] ’s [[Sinai]] census gives 40,500 men of war (Numbers 1:33 ), but this is reduced at the [[Plains]] of [[Moab]] to 32,500 (26:37), which is less than any of the tribes except Simeon, which ‘hardly existed except in name’ (Sayce, <em> Hist. of Heb </em> . p. 77). [[Contrary]] to what we should have expected from the Blessing of Jacob, Ephraim, according to P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] , lost in the meantime 20 per cent. while [[Manasseh]] gained 40 per cent. </p> <p> The appearance of Joseph in the Blessing of Jacob, with no mention of his sons, who according to [[J]] [Note: Jahwist.] had been adopted as Jacob’s own, and were therefore entitled on this important occasion to like consideration with the others, points to a traditional echo of the early days in the land when Ephraim and Manasseh were still united. In the [[Song]] of [[Deborah]] (Judges 5:1-31 ) it is the ‘family’ Machir, the firstborn ( Joshua 17:1 ), the only ( Genesis 50:23 ) son of Manasseh, that is mentioned, not a Manasseh tribe. From 2 Samuel 19:20 (cf. art. Benjamin) it is plain that [[Shimei]] still regarded himself as of the house of Joseph; and, despite the traditional indications of a late formation of [[Benjamin]] (wh. see), the complete political separation of Manasseh from Ephraim appears to have been still later. At all events, [[Jeroboam]] the Ephraimite, who afterwards became the first king of [[Israel]] ( <em> c </em> <em> [Note: circa, about.] </em> . b.c. 930), was appointed by [[Solomon]] superintendent of the forced labour of the ‘house of Joseph,’ not of Ephraim alone. Ephraim, Machir, and Benjamin were apparently closely related, and in early times formed a group of clans known as ‘Joseph.’ There are no decisive details determining the time when they became definitely separated. Nor are there any reliable memories of the way in which Ephraim came into possession of the best and central portion of the land. </p> <p> The traditions in the [[Book]] of Joshua are notably uninforming. [[Canaanites]] remained in the territory until a late date, as is seen from Judges 1:29 and the history of [[Shechem]] (ch. 8 f.). Ephraim was the strongest of the tribes and foremost in leadership, but was compelled to yield the hegemony to David. From that time onwards the history is no longer tribal but national history. Eli, priest of [[Shiloh]] and judge of Israel, Samuel, and Jeroboam I. were among its great men. Shechem, Tirzah, and Samaria, the capitals of the North, were within its boundaries; and it was at Shiloh that Joshua is said to have divided the land by lot. See also [[Tribes]] of Israel. </p> <p> James A. Craio. </p> <p> <strong> EPHRAIM </strong> . <strong> 1 </strong> . A place near Baal-hazor ( 2 Samuel 13:23 ) It may be identical with the Ephraim which the <em> Onomasticon </em> places 20 [[Roman]] miles N. of Jerusalem, somewhere in the neighbourhood of <em> Sinjil </em> and <em> el-Lubbân </em> . If Baal-hazor be represented, as seems probable, by <em> [[Tell]] ‘Asûr </em> , the city by relation to which such a prominent feature of the landscape was indicated must have been of some importance. It probably gave its name in later times to the district of [[Samaria]] called <strong> Aphærema </strong> ( 1Ma 11:34 , Jos. [Note: Josephus.] <em> [[Ant]] </em> . XIII. iv. 9). The site is at present unknown. <strong> 2 </strong> . A city ‘near the wilderness,’ to which [[Jesus]] retired after the raising of [[Lazarus]] ( John 11:54 ). ‘The wilderness’ is in Arab. [Note: Arabic.] <em> el-barrîyeh, i.e </em> ., the uncultivated land, much of it affording excellent pasture, on the uplands to the N. W. of Jerusalem. The <em> Onomasticon </em> mentions an ‘Efralm’ 5 Roman miles E. of Bethel. This may be the modern <em> et-Taiyibeh </em> , about 4 miles N.E. of <em> Beitîn </em> , with ancient cisterns and rockhewn tombs which betoken a place of importance in old times. See also Ephron, 4. </p> <p> <strong> The [[Forest]] of Ephraim </strong> (Heb. <em> ya’ar Ephraîm </em> .) was probably not a forest in our sense of the term, but a stretch of rough country such as the Arabs still call <em> wa‘r </em> , abounding in rocks and thickets of brushwood. The district is not identified, but it must have been E. of the Jordan, in the neighbourhood of Mahanaim. It was the scene of Absalom’s defeat and death ( 2 Samuel 18:6 ff). The origin of the name cannot now be discovered. <strong> Mount Ephraim </strong> , Heb, <em> har Ephraîm </em> , is the name given to that part of the central range of [[Western]] [[Palestine]] occupied by Ephraim, corresponding in part to the modern <em> Jebel Nâblus </em> the district under the governor of <em> Nâblus </em> . Having regard to Oriental usage, it seems a mistake to tr. [Note: translate or translation.] with RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘the hill country of Ephraim.’ <em> Jebel el-Quds </em> does not mean ‘the hill country of Jerusalem,’ but that part of ‘the mountain’ which is subject to the city. We prefer to retain, with AV [Note: Authorized Version.] , ‘Mount Ephraim.’ </p> <p> W. Ewing. </p>

<p> <b> EPHRAIM. </b> —John 11:54 only. After the raising of Lazarus, [[Jesus]] departed, in consequence of the plots of the chief priests against Him, ‘unto a country ( Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ‘into the country’) near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.’ </p> <p> There are scarcely any textual variations. TR spells Ἐφραΐα; Lachmann, Tischendorf, Westcott-Hort spell Ἑφραὶμ; Stephanus, 1550, had on the margin the reading Ἑφρὲμ, which is supported by אL and [[Latin]] witnesses, and the name Σαμφουρείμ as to be supplied after χώραν. This is the reading of D, <i> Sapfurim </i> in its Latin part, for which [[Chase]] ( <i> Syro-Lat. [[Text]] of [[Gospels]] </i> , 108) and R. Harris ( <i> A [[Study]] of [[Codex]] Bezœ </i> , p. 184) suggested that σαμ might be the Heb. שׁם ‘the name’; but more probable is the identification with <i> [[Sepphoris]] </i> , which in Jos. <i> Ant. </i> xiv. 91 is spelt Σατφὁροις ( <i> v.ll </i> . Σαμφὸροις and other forms); so [[Jerome]] ( <i> s.v. </i> ‘Araba’ in <i> OS </i> 17. 13 f.): ‘Diocaesareae, quae olim <i> Safforine </i> dicehatur.’ </p> <p> [[Eusebius]] in his <i> Onomasticon </i> says ( <i> ad </i> Ephron, Joshua 15:9) καἰ ἔστι νῦν κώμη Ἐφραὶμ μεγίστη περὶ τἀ βόρεια Αἰλίας ὠς ἀπὸ σημείων κ; in the Latin rendering of Jerome: ‘est et villa pergrandis <i> Efrœa </i> nomine contra septentrionem in vicesimo ab aelia miliario’ (ed. Klostermann, p. 86. 1, 90. 18). With this has been identified <i> [[Afra]] </i> [=עִפָרָה Joshua 18:23]: ‘in tribu Beniamin; et est hodie vicus <i> Efraim </i> in quinto miliario Bethelis ad orientem respiciens’ (p. 29. 4; the [[Greek]] text [28. 4: καὶ νῦν ἔστι κώμη Αἰφρὴλ ἀπό] is here defective); further, 1 [[Maccabees]] 11:34 = Jos. <i> Ant. </i> xiii. 127 [ed. Niese]: τοὺς τρεῖς νομοὐς Ἀφαίρεμα ( <i> v.l. </i> Ἀφέρεμα) καὶ Αύδδα καὶ Ῥαμαθείν; finally, the notice of [[Josephus]] ( <i> BJ </i> iv. 551), that [[Vespasian]] took Βήθηγά τε (earlier reading Βαιθήλ or Βηθήλ) καὶ Ἐφραὶμ πολίχνια. Since Robinson, the site has been sought at the modern <i> ct-Taiyibeh </i> , 4 miles N.E. from Bethel. Schürer ( <i> GJV </i> 3 i. 233) quotes Robinson, ii. 332–338; Guérin, <i> Judéc </i> , iii. 45–51; Buhl, <i> GAP </i> p. 177; Heidet, art. ‘Ephrem’ in Vigouroux’s <i> Dict. </i> ii. 1885 ff.; cf., further, art. ‘Ephraim’ by J. H. Kennedy in Hastings’ <i> DB </i> , and by T. K. Cheyne in <i> Encyc. Biblica </i> .* [Note: Schürer (GJV3 ii. 163, n. 435) is certainly right in rejecting the identification of Sapfurim with [[Sepharvaim]] (2 Kings 17:24) put forward by Resch (TU x. 4, pp. 141, 204) and approved by Blass (Ev. sec. Joh. 1902, p. xl), and in finding in Sapfurim the name of the town Sepphoris, which covered a very large area. But it is not vet certain whether Codex D has preserved here a correct tradition. Luke 9:16 offers similar variations in the text (τολιν καλουμενην, τότον λεγομενον, τότον ἐ͂ρημον, etc). Ἐφραια might itself be derived from Sepphoris, the first letter being dropped after the ς of εἱς.] </p> <p> [[Origen]] compares, for the retirement of Jesus, Matthew 4:12 f. and then allegorizes: Ephraim, according to [[Genesis]] 41:51 f. ‘καρτοφοριαʼ; ἀτῆλθεν ἑκεϊθεν εἰς τὴν χώραν ‘τοῦ ἁλου κὀσμου,’ ἐλλὺς τῆς ἐρήμου ‘ἐκκλησια’ εἰς Ἐφραΐμ τὴν ‘καρτοφοροῦσαν’ λεγομἑνηντόλιν, etc. (new Berlin edition, pp. 420, 551). About the site he says nothing. </p> <p> Eb. Nestle. </p>

<p> Bibliography InformationMcClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Ephraim'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and [[Ecclesiastical]] Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/e/ephraim.html. [[Harper]] & Brothers. New York. 1870. </p>